Out of My Element
by BleachCadelina
Summary: Alex wakes up in Sinnoh and decides the best way to start to search for a way home is to take on the life of a Pokemon Trainer at the ripe age of 22. Join Alex as the game he played as a kid becomes his life and see what obstacles and shenanigans he gets into! Takes place some time after Platinum's story. Rated T for language. Title subject to change.
1. Wake Up, Player One!

_Owww,_ I complained mentally. _That's the last time I try my hand at a drinking contest._ From what I recall, last night had been a small gathering of friends at the bar, and I had been pushed to start a drinking contest with a very obnoxious Irishman at the counter. Pint after pint, my vision began to grow foggier and foggier, until I ended up face-down... where ever I am now with a splitting headache.

 _Grass..._ I felt the short green stalks tickle my cheeks. _I was thrown out, but I'm nowhere near the city?_ I couldn't hear a single car, only the sound of crickets and echoing sounds of various animals.

 _I guess I'm not in Manhattan anymore. Any thoughts, Toto?_. Finally feeling some energy rush through my body, I decided to roll myself over to see where I was. I sat up and saw that I was indeed in a forest of some sort; it was much thicker than Central Park's little spots, so I ruled that out.

"Hello?" I called out to anyone in particular. "Anyone there?"

I repeated this fruitless gesture several times and realized I was basically stranded in a new place with nowhere to go.

 _Wait a minute..._ I scrambled to check my pockets and was relieved to find my phone! Less so upon finding that I had no reception. Oh well, at least I had something for light and entertainment. My wallet, in my other pocket, was untouched and contained a few bucks left and my College ID card. In my back pocket was my keys, sharing a ring with a small Swiss Army Knife. _That's convenient._ After a while, my headache began to subside and I decided to fully rise to my feet and walk around this forest. From what I could tell, it went on for a while, though it wasn't long until I could just make out the figure of another person in the distance. Deciding it to be my best bet at survival, I walked over to them.

"Hey, excuse m- _WHOA!"_ As I attempted to get their attention, I ended up tripping over something... soft? Looking back, I saw a mound of pink silk with glaring eyes. It uttered a squealing noise before launching a lengthy amount of silk at me. "Help! I got a..." I took a second to identify the creature. _Wait, no._ I though to myself. _That... isn't real... No way!_

"I need help with a Cascoon over here!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. I felt the sticky silk from it's attack wrap around my ankles; it was surprisingly strong! "Help!" Out of nowhere, a giant pink egg-shaped creature bounded out of the bushes and threw an egg at the offending Cascoon.

"Chansey!" It cried as it attacked, and it's sheer size difference to the Bug Pokemon caused the latter to run. The Chansey then turned to me with a proud smile and began working on the silk wrapped around me feet. Meanwhile, another figure emerged from the bushes the Pokemon had came from.

"O-oh, that's where you went, C-Chansey!" The nervous green-haired girl stammered as her gaze met mine. Despite looking to be in her mid-to-late teens, her voice was much alike a mother's, soft and calming. "Are you a-alright, sir? It's dangerous to enter here without a Pokemon partner!"

"And just where is... here?" I asked, dusting myself off and rising to my feet once more as I was freed from the Cascoon's trapping spit.

 **. . . . .**

Now, I know Pokemon. I played the games and loved them to death as a kid. I just never thought I'd actually ever fall into the fictional, video game world of my adolescent fantasies. After a few minutes of gentle interrogation, I learned that I was in Sinnoh and had just popped up in the middle of Eterna Forest. I was mildly familiar with Sinnoh, though playing the game had been an endeavor I hadn't done in years. The green-haired girl, named Cheryl, had kindly escorted me out of Eterna Forest and into a small cabin just outside of the dungeon's entrance.

"You're saying you have no idea how you got there?" She asked. I couldn't exactly say I was from my world, could I? She'd think I was insane!

"Pretty much, yup." I shrugged. "I was out getting a drink or three and the next thing I know, I woke up with face-down in the Eterna Forest."

"Where are you from, anyway?" She asked. "As you said you're not very familiar with the area?"

"Outside of Sinnoh." I said. A raised eyebrow told me to elaborate. "A tourist, really, I swear."

"And you don't have a Pokemon?" She asked, surprised. "You must be very brave."

"I wouldn't go that far." I said, chuckling at her excited reaction. I'd say stupid, though it's not like I have a choice in the matter. "I've always wanted to do that, but I've been nervous as to how good I'd really be with one." My alibi sounded like it made sense to me, at least. I was glad Cheryl was going along with it, at least.

"W-well, you seem like a nice person." Cheryl said, a slight blush donned her cheeks, but her tone was sincere. "Professor Rowan would definitely have a starter Pokemon left for you if you simply asked! He says that there is no age limit to becoming a Pokemon Trainer!"

"Does he really?" I asked. _I don't recall hearing that in the game_ , I thought. "Do you think you could help me meet him then, to help get me started?"

"O-oh, of course!" Cheryl nodded, almost bowing. "Chansey! Are you alright to go?"

"Really?" I was surprised; if I remember, there was at least two towns between this area and Sandgem Town, where Rowan was located. "Right now?"

"We're not going to be walking there, thankfully." She pulled out a small device that looked like an early smartphone. Maybe a PokeNav? "I can call up a long-ride cab to pick us up from here?"

"I don't exactly have any money for that." I admitted. I doubted my American Dollars would be accepted here, let alone recognized. Cheryl simply waved her hand dismissively.

"Oh no, it's a free service for civilians and non-competing Trainers like myself." She explained, as she tapped away on the device's screen.

"So we don't really need to have a Pokemon that knows Fly?" I asked, remembering the bane of Move-space that was the HM.

"N-no, using Pokemon for long rides like that has been outlawed in Sinnoh and Kanto." She explained. "This way creates more jobs and make trips safer."

I suppose I understood; there had to some safe way for people without Pokemon to get around towns without being assaulted and harassed by wild Pokemon and over-enthusiastic Trainers alike. _Convenient for us, at least,_ I thought. Cheryl then smiled and announced to me and her Chansey that the cab company was on it's way.

"Oh, I forgot!" She cried. "All this time, and I never got your name!"

"Oh, sure." Surprised I had actually forgotten such a crucial detail. I decided to at give her my real first name. "I'm Alex. Nice to officially meet you, Cheryl."

 **. . . . .**

It was a relatively long and quiet car ride so far, as Cheryl and I had made all our casual small-talk in that cabin. The greenette seemed content to look at things on her mobile device (she never really explained what it was, granted the fact that I never asked), as I found myself absolutely absorbed in the passing sights. Starly flew by from tree to tree, Bidoof families grouped together to gnaw at fallen logs, and the occasional Pachirisu found themselves being chased by Shinx.  
I could just make out the outlines of Trainers battling, if the small sparks of electricity and blades of grass flew around an area haphazardly. Soon, the forest scenery was replaced by the stone walls of a tunnel, though i could spot a few Pachirisu running along power lines near the ceiling of the structure.

 _How did I get here?_ I asked myself, now that my entertainment was temporarily taken away. _Can I get back home?_ Closing my eyes to think, I tried to recall what I remembered from the games. _Cynthia knows stuff about mythology and the Legendaries, right? Then, Giratina has something to do with portals in and out of worlds, right? But I won't be able to meet either of those characters without any Pokemon to protect me, especially if Team Galactic still exists in this world._ To be honest, I could really just save myself the stress and try asking Rowan these questions, but a bored mind can lead to times such as this.

Eventually, we made it to the small, beach-side settlement known as Sandgem Town. Getting out of the car and thanking the driver, I turned to Cheryl because one last thought on my mind kept bothering me through the latter half of our trip together.

"Cheryl," I began, getting her attention. "You know, you didn't have to come with me. I mean, you don't even know me at all!"

"I-it's fine, really." Cheryl said. "I just felt... well, responsible for at least getting you safely to your destination."

"A regular Good Samaritan, then?" I laughed lightly, but Cheryl simply blushed.

"Well, I was appointed by the Sinnoh League to make sure beginners and civilians alike don't get lost and hurt in the Eterna Forest." She said with a bit of pride, despite sounding sheepish about the concept. "And to help them to get what or _where_ they need."

"Then, I suppose you did a good job." I smiled, nodding in gratitude. "I'll make sure to mention to the authorities about your effort."

"That's not necessary." An awkward silence followed, accompanied by the occasional kicking of gravel and sand beneath our feet as we walked to a building slightly larger than the homes around us in the small town. At the door, which looked to be nothing else but a normal, wooden door. The only signifier being a brass plaque saying: **Sandgem Town Laboratory -** **Pokemon Professor Rowan.** At least I knew I was at the right place.

"This is my stop." I joke, not sure how to relinquish myself of this partnership. No offense to her, but I didn't want her getting to involved in something that wasn't exactly her problem. "Thanks again, Cheryl."

"Anytime, Alex!" Then, something seemed to click in her head, like she remembered something. "Do you have a phone I can contact you with? So I know when you manage to reach the Eterna Forest again?"

"I have... this?" I dug into my pocket to show my Android, and opened it to start recording a new contact. "Just put in your number, and I'll let you know when I get there. Probably not anytime soon, with my luck."

"S-sounds good." Cheryl took my phone almost sheepishly, ignoring my my last joking statement. "I'm not familiar with this model, you might not be able to make calls in Sinnoh with this phone."

"Oh." I expected that, honestly. "Well, if I could always borrow someone's phone."

"R-right." Cheryl stuttered as she finished inputting her number into my phone.

It's weird how she managed to switch from calm to shy in a flash at random moments. I barely remembered her character from when I last played Platinum, how she was shy and afraid to travel alone in Eterna Forest. Now here she was, noticeably older looking and growing out of that shyness. I felt a bit of nostalgia hit, then took my phone back.

"See you around, Cheryl." I waved as she was about to turn and leave for another ride back to the Eterna Forest entrance.

"Good luck, Alex." She departed with a warm smile. I turned to the door and took a deep breath. If I could convince Professor Rowan to give me a starter, I could have at least one Pokemon to aid me in meeting those I need to confront for help in regards to getting home. I put my hand on the door's handle, turned it, and walked into the beginning of a journey I never would have guessed I'd live through.

 **Author's Note: Heyo, BleachCadelina with a new fic here! And branching away from RWBY and Food Wars, it's a bit of a risk, because I'm not sure how the Pokemon fic community will react to an OC-oriented story like this.**

 **Please note that this is _NOT_ a self-insert. However, the story and what happens within it originates from the many playthroughs of Platinum I've had, plus all the sarcasm and thoughts that I've had during them. For example, what if the Trainer started at a more mature age, say 21-22? **

**Well, let's hope Alex gets into some shenanigans. And no, don't worry, I won't be shipping him with anyone.**

 **Hope you all enjoy this first chapter, and whatever else comes from Alex's journey! Leave your thoughts/reactions/constructive criticism in the reviews, and I may respond to them. See you next update!**


	2. A Not So Hidden Gem

The lab itself was comprised of pristine white tile flooring and steel walls. It was absolutely spotless, not including a few desks on the side that had countless papers scattered across them. Several machines and devices dotted the lab floor, beeping constantly and providing bits of data that I doubt I'd understand even if I stopped to examine them. A couple of scientists regarded my entrance with a polite nod before proceeding with their work. I walked towards the back wall of the lab, where a familiar man sat at a desk.

"Can I help you?" Professor Rowan's voice was deep and professional, just as I expected whenever I read his text in-game.

"Uh," I was at first unsure with how to proceed with this conversation. Do I tell him everything? Do I abridge it? Or do I just ask for a Pokemon. "I… uh…"

"Are you lost, son?" He asked with a small smile, and suddenly I found some words.

"In more ways than one, sir." My response was received with a single raised eyebrow.

"How so?" He gestured to the empty seat across his desk, which I took gratefully. "Please elaborate."

"I'm not… from here?" I tried to find better words, but that's all that came out of me. "I was walking around at home at one point, then I woke up in the Eterna Forest in the next moment. I'm not from this world of Pokemon, but now I've somehow fallen into it. I've no idea how, but it's true."

"That's quite a claim, young man." Professor Rowan asked. "And what do you think I can do about it?"

"I was wondering if you could help me find a way back, or if there's anyone you know that could help me with my problem?" I asked.

"Well, forgive me if your story sounds rather… fantastical to me." Rowan said. "But let's say for a moment that I believe you. What then?"

"I don't know." I shrugged. "I know that there may be people out there who specialize in researching ways to reach other universes or similar ways to get me home."

"And what does any of that have to do with me?" Rowan asked.

"I'd… like a Pokémon." I answered. "It's not exactly the safest route to get to the people I wish to talk with, right?"

"That is correct, even for me to call and audience with anyone within the Pokemon League would take too long." Rowan confirmed. "It would be wiser to confront them personally."

"Then, you understand why I'd like a Pokemon?" I asked, hopeful.

"Hmm…" The much older man stood up from his seat and walked over to me. His eyes seemed to gaze into my very soul, examining my worth as a person. "You do not seem to be a dishonest person. However, do you have proof of your otherworldly claims?"

In response, I simply pulled out my wallet and showed him the two dollars and my Driver's License. He took them in his hands for a while, looking at them from differing angles. He even went so far as to ask a passing scientist to analyze them. After several long minutes of close examination, Professor Rowan handed them back to me and nodded.

"It seems you are telling the truth about your origins. However," I waited to hear what other skepticism he had. "I've already given my last three, rare Starter Pokemon to some children about a year ago. You'd have to wait if you wish to have one of those."

 _That is tempting…_ I contemplated the benefits of having an actual starter Pokemon. _Actually, no. It would definitely take too long for him to find one just for me_.

"That won't be necessary." I shook my head. "I'd be happy to choose from whatever Pokemon you're willing to let me have."

"Before I do," Rowan's tone became strict, cold almost. "You must treat your Pokemon with love and patience, no matter how it may act towards you at first. You will be it's partner for a long time, risking it's life and energy to keep your safe on your journey. Do you understand?"

"Of course." I answered immediately. I've had pets before, the whole battling thing will be what makes it difficult. "I'll take care of all the Pokemon I end up catching." Of course, I plan on only catching six in total. I just need something decent to start me off.

"Then follow me." Rowan walked to a set of double doors I never noticed before, to the left of his desk. Pushing through after him, I found myself surrounded by pens that holding various kinds of Pokémon. They were pretty basic, but they were there as options if Rowan ran out of the rare starters, I suppose. "Do you see any one that catches your eye?"

As I stepped closer to the pens, the small groups inside would go crazy! A few of them jumped and bounced in excitement while others simply cried out for attention. I felt as though it would be nice to start with something that could definitely be a good base for any team, then build it up from there.

A Shinx would be nice, but I'd be able to find that soon enough anyway. While a Snubbull was fairly rare enough in this generation, the pink Fairy-type (Professor Rowan luckily informed me that this Pokémon was indeed a Fairy-type, confirming that it did exist in this universe) was never one of my top choices. Clamperl wouldn't get me through Eterna Forest, let alone the gym. This felt a bit like a Randomizer to me, and once the thought came to mind I had to hold in a laugh as Rowan spoke up.

"I have one last one, but it's quite a difficult one to train." The elder man said, escorting me to the final pen in the room. Unlike the other ones, this pen contained only one Pokémon. It was an Eevee! _That seems quite cliché_ , I thought. _But it's definitely a better option than the others I've seen in this room._

"Difficult?" I asked. "How so?"

"Eevee in general are timid creatures." The Pokémon Professor said. "Even their natural ability tends to allude to a quick escape from battle. It takes a constant diligence and training to make an Eevee strong enough for constant battle, let alone evolving it into one of it's many 'Eeveelutions.' So, what is your choice?"

I looked around the room again, weighing the pros and cons of each choice in my head once more. None of the others specimens in the room held much of an attraction to me, or were just common enough in the wild from my gaming experience. I sighed mentally before looking at the small, brown fox-like creature sitting in its pen with a tilted head as it stared at my and Professor Rowan.

"I'll take the Eevee." I nodded, speaking with some conviction.

"You understand the risks, for both you and this Pokémon?" Rowan asked, referring to the question he had asked before. "Do you accept the trial of becoming stronger as a Trainer, and thus, as an individual?"

"I do." I responded with the only thing I felt fit as an answer to those questions.

"Then, claim your first Pokemon, your Starter, if you will." He handed me a Pokéball and I took it carefully, turning it around to examine it. "If it accepts you as it's Trainer, then it will willfully be caught by you." Looking at the Eevee once more, it continued to stare at my face and tilted its head to the other side; a pretty cute sight that I couldn't help but smile at. My smile seemed coax it as well! It stood up properly on all fours and took a cautious step forward. Rowan had one last piece of advice: "Click the center button first, then throw." And I did so, and stared with bated breath to see how the catching process happened. The tossed ball flew and bounced at the area in front of the Eevee, before opening and allowing that trademark red energy to encompass and retrieve the Pokémon into the closing ball.

The ball shook harshly the first time. I felt a bit bad for the Eevee, hoping it wasn't getting hurt by the containment.

The harshness of the shake wasn't as bad the second time, though it was quite obvious that Eevee wasn't yet accepting of the capture.

The third shake was the lightest of them. _Did it stop resisting?_ I wondered. _Is it okay?_ Suddenly, the ball pulsed with a blue light; Eevee was caught!

"Now before you take it and open it, I will need you to take one of these." Rowan approached with a familiar slim red device. "This is a Pokédex, it will record all the Pokemon you'll see and provide more specific detail on the ones you catch. It is powered by walking, so make sure to travel and keep it working. You'll never know when you need a bit of information on the fly!"

"Thank you, Professor." I said, taking the device and putting it in my back pocket. "I'll take good care of it. And the Pokémon."

"Do you have a cellular phone?" He asked. "So you may contact me if you ever need anything."

"I don't," I began, as I didn't want to explain my situation and push another burden onto him. "Is there any other way for me to contact you?"

"Well, all the PC in other towns can act as video calls." He informed. Rowan then handed me a small card with his information on it. "Use the numbers on our card to contact us if you have any questions."

"Thank you." I was truly grateful for all this, then remembered I had something else to do here. I reached carefully into the pen and picked up the Pokéball with the Eevee inside it.

"Would you like to give her a nickname?" Professor Rowan asked. I took a moment to go through all the names I ever game an Eevee during my game playthroughs. _Tekka? No. Orion? Nope. Xena? Ehh. Nova? Nah, that's a different 'mon. I think I'll try something new._

"I'll call her Eon." I declared. Suddenly, as small screen came up on the Pokéball and displayed the very Pokemon's name and moves that it knew. Of course, the only ones it knew were Tackle and Tail Whip; not a bad start. Especially with an Eevee, I have quite a plethora of choices to choose from in the future. And then I can build the rest of my team from there!

"An interesting name, but short and easy to call in a pinch." Rowan noted. "Now, if you'll follow me, Alex."

A good amount of paperwork followed, in which I had to read multiple contracts that basically made my understanding of the risks official. I wasn't ten nor was I from here, so I was unable to write the names and contact information of my next of kin, so Rowan simply put down his own information. The papers also explained the process of going from Gym to Gym and onwards to the Pokémon League, a section I felt was meant for parents to look over and discuss with their departing children. The last thing I had to sign was a small ID that had my name and signature, along with Professor Rowan's signature to officially name me as a Pokémon Trainer.

"Any questions" Professor Rowan asked. "About the paperwork, being a Pokémon Trainer, anything at all?"

"How often should I be feeding them?" I asked, the pet owner in me was quite concerned about that. "And where can I find them?"

"Pokémon Centers feed Pokémon for free just as they provide free overnight stays for travelling Trainers, but you'll have to buy food at Pokémon Centers." The Professor answered. "And Pokémon only have to have a full meal every other day. You can split three bowls of food along a week. Water, however, is needed every day." I nodded, mentally jotting the information down.

"I… don't have a bag or money to hold any of that in." I realized aloud.

"That's expected." A new voice spoke up, and I turned to see a male, bespectacled scientist holding a couple of things: a black belt of some sort and a small backpack that had a small plastic cylinder . "Here are your belt sash and Trainer pack." He held them out to me to put on, and I put the belt first, though it was more comfortable as a sash over my shoulder. "That sash holds all Pokéballs with a specific sort of magnetism only they hold." He then handed me the bag, which slipped on easily. It was much harder to just slip off, as I discovered grooves within the straps that made it like that.

"That's pretty convenient." I noted, removing the backpack fully only to swing it to my front and inspect the thing.

"Yes, that's a recent development." The scientist said. "Apparently, a few of our recent send-offs found a new hobby in mountain climbing, and… you may guess the rest."

"Kids, these days, huh?" I joked, though it garnered no reaction from the man in the white suit. "At least I'm no kid taking the journey."

"Of course." He said. "Inside the bag are a Town Map, collapsible food and water bowls for your Pokémon, a Technical/Hidden Machine Case, a Silicone Berry Pouch, and several Potions and Nutrient Food and Water for your Pokémon."

"Oh, and about your financial situation." Rowan now stood next to me, hand extended with some card in his palm. "This credit card currently contains 5000 PKD. You can use this for your own food and personal needs. All gyms can deposit winnings into it directly, though some places may only accept physical currency. In such a case, all Pokémarts have ATMs. I do hope you have at least some experience as an adult to be able to find things on your own from there."

"I… don't have much else to say but thank you for everything." I said honestly. "For Eon, for the opportunity, your time…"

"It's all I can personally provide on this rather perilous-sounding journey you're about to embark." Professor Rowan replied. "I speak for all of us here when I say: Good Luck, Alex. Don't hesitate to call whenever you need anything."

At that very moment, the front door of the Sandgem Laboratory was closed shut and a set of footsteps were heard briskly approaching our spot. Turning to meet the arrival, I was pleasantly surprised to see Dawn, still somewhat in her early adolescence, politely smiling as she walked up to Professor Rowan.

"Ah, right on time!" Professor Rowan beamed at the sight of her. "This is my intelligent, treasured field assistant, Dawn! Dawn, my dear, if you could be so kind as to show Alex here the ropes of catching a wild Pokémon?"

"Oh?" Dawn looked up to me with a curious look, though it went away with a kind smile when I shrugged meekly. "Well, I guess any time's a good time to start, I suppose. Just meet me outside the lab when you're ready to go, then!" With that, she skipped outside and I turned back to shake the Professor's hand.

"I hope your journey isn't too perilous, Alex." He said. "I hope your way home isn't too far off."

"I'll be seeing you, Professor Rowan." I replied as I began to leave the store. "Thanks again for everything."

Now here I was with my first Pokémon, an Eevee no less! I was steps away from officially starting my journey and I'm… not exactly sure how I should be taking it. The child in me was absolutely ecstatic at being able to live the very game I spent years playing. The adult in me was scared of what this now-very-real world would strike me with. The realist in me just sighed before sending out a single, resonating thought:

 _Let's start heading home._

 **Author's Note: Heyo, BleachCadelina here once again with another update for this story. I hope you enjoyed reading it! I'll do my best to keep this updated and balance it with my other stories. Please, do leave your thoughts/comment/constructive criticism below!**

 **See you next update!**


	3. Another Tutorial

"So," I tried to break the awkward silence as I walked alongside the blue-haired teen. What is known as Route 202 was nothing more than a winding trail of knee high grasses, much like what was depicted in the game. "Can I ask you something?"

"My boyfriend is only a town away," she said, glaring at me. "Don't try anything."

"What? No!" I recoiled, putting my hands up. "You're a freaking minor, I wouldn't even try that bullshit."

"Good." She replied curtly. "Now what do you need to know about Pokémon? Aren't you old enough to have been a Trainer already?"

"No, I'm not." I was starting to get tired of her attitude. And here I thought she'd be as nice as she was in the game. "I've got the catching Pokémon thing down, I just got a few questions."

"Okay, shoot." Dawn said.

"Why the ban on using Pokémon to travel to places?" The moment I asked the question, Dawn started to roll her eyes. As if a realization seemed to pop up in her head, she stopped and blinked hard. "What?"

"You're new to the region, aren't you?" She asked sincerely.

"Yeah," I answered. "Why?"

"The law made in Sinnoh and Kanto was just recently implemented and is still kinda controversial." She sighed. "While many Trainers are against the law, there are those civilians and non-competitive Trainers that are greatly for it."

"What are your thoughts on it?" I asked. I needed to know whether I should use HMs like Surf, Rock Climb, and Fly.

"Seeing as I'm not exactly athletic as most people, it does help to have a Pokémon to get me through dangerous terrain," Dawn answered. "It also helps that I'm quite light. You, on the other hand, would need a strong and/or large Pokémon to help you with that."

"Any reason why this law came up?" I asked.

"From what I heard, a bunch of kids started using their older siblings' Fly HMs on their smaller Flying Pokémon." She said. "And doing so led to broken limbs on both the Pokémon and the kids. In short, don't use a Starly to get from place to place."

"Of course," I replied. "And that Trainer taxi thing?"

"That's a recent development," Dawn answered. Recently, wild Pokémon have become more excitable at the sight of humans. It is both a safety precaution for civilians with cars and a source of jobs for others."

 _It's basically Uber, but with a protective coating_. I summed up mentally. _I'll use that whenever my team happens to wipe out, I suppose._

"So, if you need to use Pokémon for transportation," Dawn warned. "You need to make sure it is comfortable with handling your weight. Any other questions?" After taking a minute to think, I came up with nothing else and shook my head. "Have you properly greeted your starter yet?" Another shake of my head. "Then do it! It helps a lot with developing friendship, making certain moves stronger. Do you know how to release them from the ball for that?" A third shake, which was responded with a deep sigh. "Press the button and call them by name."

"Alright," I grasped at the lone Pokéball on my sash and pressed the middle button on the red and white orb before tossing it. "Come on out, Eon!"

In a flash of red light, the Eevee emerged and stood facing me. Her eyes regarded me with curiosity before approaching me slowly. Kneeling down slowly, I made to put my hand on her head, between the ears. Almost immediately, she recoiled and took a step back.

"Slower." Dawn chided softly. I glared at her for a second.

"I know." I muttered. I turned my attention back to Eon, who was staring and sniffing at the space around my outstretched hand. It took a moment, but she walked under it and looked at me expectantly. Slowly and a little shakily, I put a light weight onto her head and pet her using only the tips of my fingers. A slight wave of her tail signified that she enjoyed it. At least, that's what Dawn said. Pulling away my hand, I saw a bit more trust in the Pokémon's eyes and offered it a small smile.

"That's very sweet." Dawn commented, almost cooing at the sight. "Eevee are always such cute Pokémon, so many of them are usually kept as pets instead of battling." That last line caught my mind for a second, bringing up a rather important question.

"That's another thing, actually." I said, rising to my full height and turning to Dawn once more. "How do you… get used to watching your Pokémon fight?"

"What do you mean?" She asked, head tilted slightly.

"In the very small, secluded town I came from, doing such a thing was greatly frowned upon." I said wistfully. "To see a creature I'd normally keep and care for as a pet in a fight with another is going to be hard to watch at first."

"Well," Dawn took a few minutes to think of an appropriate response. "Fighting is really part of their nature. It is within them to fight and get stronger in order to defend themselves and their kin."

"And what do we have to gain from it as Trainers?" I asked.

"We grow with them," she answered, so sure of herself. "We develop as better individuals to better care and stand alongside our Pokémon partners."

"You're very…" I thought of a way to describe her tone. "Technical with your explanations, Dawn."

"I _did_ grow up around scientists and the Professor," she replied. "And I will defend things I've experienced first-hand. Look Alex, you seem like a nice guy. A careful guy, with all these smart questions, but you and I aren't going to have the same journeys. How you grow as a Trainer all depends on how you choose to raise your Pokémon."

"Alright," I said. Turning back to Eon, I saw that she wasn't too enthusiastic about being in the tall grass. I didn't like the idea of battling, but I'll have to do so at least once here. "What now, Dawn?"

"I say we see how you are in a battle." She suggested. "We could walk through this patch of high grass until we encounter a wild Pokémon. I'll provide backup if you need it."

"Thanks." I nodded, looking back down at my starter. "Ready, Eon?"

"Vee!" The Eevee's response was quick, but didn't sound very excited. It turned to face the grass as we were and we took out first steps into the route together. After a minute or so of wandering about in it, we heard a small growl coming from our left. At the sound, Eon seemed to be bracing itself, looking around for the source of the sound.

"Bii!" A brown, beaver-like creature approached us, a Bidoof. It looked a lot more threatening in person. It's trademark buckteeth came together to a sharp point. _Ouch,_ I inwardly winced. _That looks like it could really hurt_.

"Thankfully, Bidoof in this area aren't strong enough to really bite down on their enemies." Dawn stated. "Their main mode of attack is to Tackle intruders into submission. Whenever you're ready, Alex!"

"Uhh, okay?" I replied, unsure. I turned back to the scene; Eon stood across from the Bidoof, looking just as unsure as I was. "Alright Eon, go ahead and—!"

"Biiiii!" The wild Bidoof cut off my command by charging at my Eevee and hitting it head on.

"Don't let your Pokémon get hurt, Alex!" Dawn scolded. "It needs you to tell it what to do, and that includes dodging. Trainers don't take turns in a battle, you know."

"Alright then," I mustered my nerves a bit to look to my Pokémon, though Eon didn't seem to be too badly hurt. She did seem to be quite nervous. This isn't like the game and the reality was truly baring its teeth at us. "Eon, use Tackle!"

At my command, she charged forward and lunged shoulder-first at the Bidoof. Thankfully, the target didn't make to really dodge the attack and took it directly. Eon's attack managed to push it back, and it was apparently enough to get the Bidoof mad. As such, the brown Pokémon simply rushed at my Eevee and tried to deliver Tackle after Tackle.

"Keep moving back, Eon! Wait for it to slow down!" I cried out. I hoped that she had heard me over the cries of the ever-advancing Bidoof. I watched as Eon had to jump to avoid one last Tackle and the Bidoof seemed to be breathing heavily. "Now, Eon! Tackle!"

The battle was painstakingly slow, with this very trend just going on and on. I learned Eon wasn't very fast, but was quick to avoid a few hits. Soon enough, both Eon and the Bidoof were standing across from each other, breathing heavily and sporting bruises and scrapes visible through their fur. The Bidoof made to tackle Eon, but I had managed to yell out first.

"Step aside, Eon!" My command was just in time apparently, as the Eevee made a small bounce to allow the Bidoof to charge past her. "Now, Tackle him once more!"

Eon, despite how worn down she looked, managed to rush at the Bidoof and effectively slammed into the brown-furred side. This Tackle sent the wild beaver creature bouncing until it landed on it's side; it made no attempt to rise again, though I could just barely see signs of breathing. It was a harrowing sight.

Eon slowly made her way back to me, smiling weakly but with a proud cry. I couldn't help but smile then wince as I saw the scruffs and bruises all over her. I brought my bag around and opened the Medicine Pocket to retrieve a Potion. I coaxed the now-curious Eevee closer so I could evenly spray the liquid. Almost magically, the spray went to work and caused most of the scuffs to disappear immediately. Looking to Dawn, I was surprised to see she was smiling.

"And there you go!" Dawn cheered, despite the shocked look on my face. "The wild Bidoof has fainted!"

"Is… is it alright?" I made to check on the fallen creature, but an arm on my shoulder told me not too.

"Look," She pointed at the Bidoof, which had risen back to its feet and was wobbling a bit, back and forth before wobbling away. "They have their own ways of knowing they lost. These battles only last until an opponent runs away."

"So how do I know when to catch one?" I asked.

"Just wait for the opportunity where it seems the most vulnerable," Dawn answered. "Especially if they've been Paralyzed, Poisoned, or put Asleep. In general, any Pokémon is easier to catch as long as they've been significantly weakened."

"How old are you again?" I asked.

"Sixteen."

"You sound much smarter than I was at that age."

"It shows.

"Hey!"

"Well, if you want to start your journey," Dawn said after a short laugh. "This is the place to start, Alex."

"Not sure how I feel after that battle, yet." I said.

"You'll get have to get used to it before it becomes a necessity." Dawn warned. "For both your life and Eon's."

"Really?" I asked.

"I would have been killed by a lot of things if it weren't for my Pokémon." Dawn said, a solemn frown broke through the confident, snarky attitude. "So, you need to take good care of them."

"Right." I nodded. I looked forward at the grassy route ahead of me; it would be a while until I reached Jubilife City, let alone Oreburgh for my first Gym Badge. It would be filled with battles and I'd need to catch another Pokemon. I had a plan for a team, but that all depended on what I would find out there.

"This is it, Alex," Dawn said with a tone of finality. "Your first steps of your journey as… whatever you want to become. Are you ready?"

"Yes." I nodded. "I need to do this."

"Confident, not bad." Dawn smirked. "Get out there and prove yourself, then. Good luck out there, Alex." She departed with a wave as she walked back into Sandgem town, probably to return to the lab. I put Eon back into her Pokéball and took a few more reluctant steps into Route 202 and took a deep breath.

"Well…" I whispered to myself. "Here goes nothing."

 **Author's Note: Heyo again, BleachCadelina here with another update for this fun little thing. Now, for a couple of Review Responses:**

 **Neven98, MiraculousDuels, xFyR3x: Good to hear y'all are enjoying the story. Thanks for the love!**

 **Farla: Thank you for the tips on writing, a lot of the mistakes you pointed out have just been bad habits I've been trying to work out of (especially the semicolons), especially since I haven't had a lot of good writing teachers. I greatly appreciate your input and will work on improving that. In regards to your reactions to certain parts of the text, you're simply asking questions that I do plan on addressing in this story. Isn't it a bit realistic not have every single question in your mind at the ready, only to remember it at another vital re-encounter? I also hope this chapter did at least partly answer your question about the Pokemon in terms of transportation in this version of the world. I'd also never use "the greenette" or anything else like that in serious creative writing.**

 **Also, I'd never think of myself as "too good" to do anything. I've always been the kind of fanfic writer where if I feel like I may have a good idea, I'd write it out and let the responding public judge it. It's already proven to work, as fanfics that I wrote for SAO and Devil Is a Part Timer have been deleted due to very quiet responses. I've had decent experience with OC-oriented stories and the rather varied reactions they get just for being OC-based. Seeing as my fanfic forte, as I've noticed, has been OC-oriented, I can't just rely on other OC fanfics under a title and assume I'll get the same exact response. To me, it's not being "too good not to," it's more of I'm just throwing it to the wind and hoping people will like it in general. Not too many people would agree with that, but it's my idea when it comes to fanfiction.**

 **Again though, I really appreciate the tips and picks on my writing. I will do my best to improve with time.**

 **To everyone in general, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it! See you next update!**


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